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Top 10 Women Wrestlers: Countdown Part One

July 9th, 2014 at 5:25 PM By Peter Schifani

Now as we move into the month of July and the heat of Summer it's time to give the ladies there due. In the world of pro wrestling/sports entertainment there have been many great women wrestlers and we kick-off this month's Top 10 countdown with numbers 10, nine and eight.

Anyone who has been a fan of pro wrestling and most especially WWE during the "Attitude Era" knows of the more recent exploits of Mae Young. What many many not remember is that she got her start wrestling the boys on her high school team and wrestled or performed in seven different decades. Mae didn't win many women's championships but she did hold the NWA Women's United States title, second only to the Women's World title, during the early years of her career. Her biggest influence is still felt today in all of the young ladies she inspired and even coached along the way, to become professional wrestlers. She was a pioneer in the early years of the sport of wrestling and helped break ground for all of the women of the time, including one time foe, but long-time friend, Fabulous Moolah. She was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, a few years earlier, in 2004. She passed earlier this January at 90 years young.

Briefly trained by the Fabulous Moolah as the beginning of her career, Sherri Martel, is a former three time AWA Women's Champion as well as holder of the WWF Women's Championship on one occasion. During her time in the AWA she also became a manager for the tag-team of "Playboy" Buddy Rose and "Pretty Boy" Doug Summers as they feuded with the Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) over the AWAWorld Tag-Team Championship. She joined the WWF in 1987 and was one of the few women to compete in a 'Survivor Series' five-on-five elimination tag match that also featured Fabulous Moolah as the leader of the team opposing hers. Her biggest role in the WWF came as manager for several high profile superstars, at first the "Macho Man" Randy Savage, then Shawn Michaels after he dissolved his partnership with Marty Jannetty and later the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. She would also make a run of it in WCW with her highlight there managing Booker T and Stevie Ray (Harlem Heat) to seven WCW World Tag-team Championships. She entered the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in this year's class of 2014.

The "ninth wonder of the world" as she was dubbed during her time in the WWF, Chyna, was a former bodybuilder turned wrestler who started as the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels and Triple H in "Degeneration-X" in 1997. As D-X grew in popularity so did Chyna's use as an enforcer to help them keep any titles they had gained. Her appearance changed over that time as well including a segment in which D-X leader Shawn Michaels repeatedly pointed out her gaining breast implants. After her time with D-X came to an end she started a singles career by becoming the first and only woman ever to hold the Intercontinental Championship, defeating Jeff Jarrett at 'Unforgiven' in 1999. She would also be a co-holder of the title with Chris Jericho, whom would eventually win a triple threat match involving the two and Hardcore Holly, at 'Royal Rumble' in 2000. After that she was partnered with Eddie Guerrero, helping put him over even more in his singles career. During that partnership she also defeated Ivory at 'WrestleMania' X-7 for the WWF Women's Championship, her only reign with that title. She would leave WWE in 2001 over her relationship with Triple H, but her impact on the sport can still be felt today with many more powerful women competing in the sport since then.

Next week out countdown continues in part two, with numbers seven, six and five, and before the month is over we will reveal the rest in two more parts. Feel free to debate us on the merits of the wonderful women, and who else we have yet to showcase.